1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging device including a shoulder pad suppressing an attitude change by a self-weight of the imaging device during photographing, and to the shoulder pad.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-215281 discloses an example of such an imaging device of the related art. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-215281 discloses a camera support apparatus for which the patent applicant has previously filed a patent application. The camera support apparatus according to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-215281 includes: a shoulder pad attached to a bottom of a camera main body; and a breast pad rotatably attached to the shoulder pad through an arm. The camera support apparatus further includes a recess provided in part of the shoulder pad, in which the breast pad may be stored by rotation of the arm.
According to the camera support apparatus having such a configuration (hereinafter referred to as a first related art example), it is expected that a camera may be easily operated by storing the breast pad so as not to cause disturbance and carrying the camera over the shoulder using the shoulder pad during photographing with a lens directed obliquely downward, for example.
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-114542 discloses a second example of an imaging device of the related art. Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-114542 discloses a video camera including a shoulder rest movable according to a state of use. In the video camera according to Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-114542, a shoulder rest having a support leg is attached to a bottom of a main body so as to be movable backward and forward.
According to the video camera having such a configuration (hereinafter referred to as a second related art example), a video camera main body may be put on the shoulder with the shoulder rest moved near the center of gravity of the camera main body, so that it is expected that stability is improved, burden on the hands is reduced, and an operation may be smoothly performed during photographing, for example.
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-166564 discloses a third example of an imaging device of the related art. Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-166564 discloses a video tape recorder on which a video camera may be integrally or detachably mounted. In the video tape recorder according to Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-166564, a storage part is provided on a bottom of a video tape recorder enclosure, and a shoulder rest member is attached so as to be horizontally rotatable around a shaft attached near a rear part of the storage part, making it possible to store the shoulder rest member.
According to the video tape recorder having such a configuration (hereinafter referred to as a third related art example), it is expected that disturbance does not occur during non-use, and the shoulder rest member is appropriately withdrawn from the video tape recorder to prevent falling of the video tape recorder and to be used as a shoulder rest in video camera photographing, for example.